The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-08
The Wniuersalist miscellaneous gage.
RIGINAL AND SELECTED.

TO exist in cramped quarters, and with
scant literature. 1t can get along with
very few physical comforts, if it but
have goodly number of earnest, faith
full instructors, ready and willing to
open the book of life to the young, and
repeat to them the story of the tender,
loving Father, revealed to the world by
the gentle, loving Son. The school
can get along with very little money if
it but be granted the lives and labors of
Jealous teachers; if it have the instruc-
lions of those who themselves have
tasted somewhat of life and its expert
ences; who have solved something of
its mysteries if it have the compan-
ionship of fathers and mothers, and OF
older brothers and sisters to encourage
and help it on.
Even in the matter of faithful in
structors to say nothing of adult classes,
or the presence Of older people, there is
many a school that is sadly needy. In
many schools it is hard to find even
enough older ones to teach the classes.
AS soon as church is dismissed, many,
sometimes most of the older members,
go home to dinner, or the newspaper,
or nap, or something else, and often
leave not enough of their number re-
naming to furnish the class with tenn
porary teachers, much less with regular
permanent ones.
fancy there is many Sunday-school
scholar if asked who were his teacher,
would be forced to reply II don't
know; last Sunday it was so and so !;
Sunday before that it was somebody
else. Next Sunday it may be this one,
it may be that one, and it may be no
One." Now, it is needless for me to
say that this way of carrying on the
school is destructive of its interest, and
even its life. The average girl and es-
pecially the average boy, if he hasn't a
teacher whom he can depend on from
one Sunday to another, is likely soon to
lose interest in his own school, and go
elsewhere, or stay away altogether.
And even if he have a good steady
teacher, even if he knows who is to in
struct him each Sunday, he is not graf
flied to see his parents and his older
brothers and sisters depart without him.
He is quite likely to think that if it is
not worth while for them to stay it is
scarcely worth while for him to stay
And even if the scholars did not mind
this, it is not very encouraging to the
teachers. 1t is not at all gratifying to be
deserted in this way. The average Sun
day-school teacher is conscious enough
of his own insufliciency. He realizes
plainly enough how inadequate are his
resources for the great work before him;
he is easily enough discouraged, and
soon enough loses heart in his work
without being constantly reminded that
others have little heart in it also that
even the mothers and the fathers of
those he teaches care so little about the
moral ard religious instruction of their
own children that they will not remain
with them an hour.
What, Then, Can the Church do for the
Sunday School!
~. In the first place, it may do all in
its power to make the physical sur
roundings of the school comfortable,
and attractive; it may see that it is
supplied with the modern conveniencies
of Sunday-school life.
(2). In the second place, it may do all
in its power to supply its social and
moral needs. 1t may turn out every
Sunday, with every member, and sup
ply it with teachers and with large
Bible-class. 1t may come out every
Sunday, with every member and stay
with it, and study with it, and go home
to dinner when it goes home to dinner
These are the crying needs of the school,
ard these the church, if it be so dis
posed, may answer. This is what the
church can do for the Sunday-school
Let us now turn the question around
and ask
What Can the Sunday School do for the
Church?
To answer this question in general
way, it can repay the church for all it
receives, and that too with interest
compounded. To be more specific, it
can repay the church sympathy for SYM
patty, encouragement for encourage
ment. 1t may raise up to the church
many and lasting friends, strong, &C
tive, young men and young women,
who, having grown up under the pat
ronage and instruction of the church,
having been imbued by the spirit of its
doctrines and its life, are above all 9th
ers best fitted to become its most loyal,
its most energetic, its most helpful
members.
The Sunday-school, therefore, can
furnish the church with that, which,
above all things, it most needs-a good
field in which to SOW the seeds of truth
and of a righteous life. The child-mind,
and the ld-heart, free as they are
from the after-growth of perverted